Optically addressable actuators and related methods

Abstract

Addressable actuator and arrays thereof are described. Actuators may be dielectric elastomer actuators (DBAs). An addressable actuator may include a compliant substrate, with an optical receiver integrated with a first region of the compliant substrate and an actuator integrated with a second region of the compliant substrate, with the optical receiver coupled to the actuator. The optical receivers may comprise percolating networks of semiconductor materials, such as photoconductive channels of zinc oxide nanowires, which may be embedded in a compliant substate, or one or more compliant layers (which may be formed on a substrate). Compliant substrates or layers may include complaint materials such as an elastomer. An actuator array may comprise multiple of the actuators, with each actuator being independently optically addressable. A system may include light emitting devices optically coupled to respective optical receivers to control actuation of the actuators using light.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An addressable actuator, comprising:
 a compliant substrate including a first region and a second region;   an optical receiver integrated with the first region of the compliant substrate; and   an actuator integrated with the second region of the compliant substrate,   wherein the optical receiver is coupled to the actuator.   
     
     
         2 . An addressable actuator array, comprising:
 a plurality addressable actuators,   wherein each addressable actuator of the plurality of addressable actuators comprises the addressable actuator of claim  1 .   
     
     
         3 . The addressable actuator array of  claim 2 , wherein:
 each addressable actuator of the plurality of addressable actuators is independently optically addressable.   
     
     
         4 . A system comprising:
 the addressable actuator of  claim 1 ; and   a light emitting device,   wherein the light emitting device is optically coupled to the optical receiver.   
     
     
         5 . The addressable actuator of  claim 1 , wherein the optical receiver comprises a photoconductive channel integrated with the actuator. 
     
     
         6 . The addressable actuator of  claim 5 , wherein the photoconductive channel is compliant. 
     
     
         7 . The addressable actuator of  claim 1 , wherein the compliant substrate comprises an elastomer. 
     
     
         8 . The addressable actuator of  claim 1 , wherein the optical receiver is electrically coupled to the actuator. 
     
     
         9 . The addressable actuator of  claim 8 , wherein the optical receiver is directly electrically coupled to the actuator. 
     
     
         10 . The addressable actuator of  claim 1 , wherein the optical receiver comprises a semiconductor film. 
     
     
         11 . The addressable actuator of  claim 1 , wherein the optical receiver comprises a plurality of zinc oxide nanowires disposed in the first region of the compliant substrate. 
     
     
         12 . The addressable actuator of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of zine oxide nanowires comprise a percolating network. 
     
     
         13 . The addressable actuator of  claim 1 , wherein the actuator comprises a capacitor, the capacitor comprising:
 a first electrode;   a second electrode; and   a portion of the compliant substrate disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode.   
     
     
         14 . The addressable actuator of  claim 13 , wherein the capacitor is configured to:
 receive a signal from the optical receiver; and   responsive to receiving the signal, compress a thickness of the portion of the compliant substrate disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode.   
     
     
         15 . The addressable actuator of  claim 14 , wherein the capacitor is further configured to:
 responsive to receiving the signal, laterally expand the portion of the compliant substrate disposed between the first electrode.   
     
     
         16 . The addressable actuator of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the optical receiver is formed of a first material; and   at least one of the first electrode or the second electrode is formed of the first material.   
     
     
         17 . The addressable actuator of  claim 16 , wherein the first material comprises zinc oxide. 
     
     
         18 . The addressable actuator of  claim 17 , wherein the optical receiver, the first electrode, and the second electrode are formed of zinc oxide nanowires. 
     
     
         19 . The addressable actuator of  claim 1 , wherein the first region and the second region overlap. 
     
     
         20 . A method of manufacturing an addressable actuator, comprising:
 forming a compliant substrate including a first region and a second region;   integrating an optical receiver with the first region of the compliant substrate; and   integrating an actuator with the second region of the compliant substrate,   wherein the optical receiver is coupled to the actuator.   
     
     
         21 . A method of manufacturing an addressable actuator array, comprising:
 forming a plurality of addressable actuators, comprising:   forming each addressable actuator of the plurality of addressable actuators according to the method of claim  20 .   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein:
 each addressable actuator of the plurality of addressable actuators is independently optically addressable.   
     
     
         23 . A method of manufacturing a system, comprising:
 forming an addressable actuator according to the method of  claim 21 ;   providing a light emitting device; and   optically coupling the light emitting device to the optical receiver.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein integrating an optical receiver comprises integrating a photoconductive channel with the actuator. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the photoconductive channel is compliant. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein forming the compliant substrate comprises forming the compliant substrate with an elastomer. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising electrically coupling the optical receiver to the actuator. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein electrically coupling the optical receiver to the actuator comprises directly electrically coupling the optical receiver to the actuator. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein integrating the optical receiver comprises forming the optical receiver with a semiconductor film. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein integrating the optical receiver comprises forming the optical receiver with a plurality of zinc oxide nanowires in the first region of the compliant substrate. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein forming the optical receiver with the plurality of zinc oxide nanowires comprises forming a percolating network with the plurality of zine oxide nanowires. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein integrating the actuator comprises forming a capacitor, comprising:
 forming a first electrode; and   forming a second electrode,   wherein a portion of the compliant substrate is disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode.   
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the capacitor is configured to:
 receive a signal from the optical receiver; and   responsive to receiving the signal, compress a thickness of the portion of the compliant substrate disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the capacitor is further configured to:
 responsive to receiving the signal, laterally expand the portion of the compliant substrate disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 32 , comprising:
 forming the optical receiver of a first material; and   forming at least one of the first electrode or the second electrode of the first material.   
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , comprising:
 forming the optical receiver of zinc oxide; and   forming at least one of the first electrode or the second electrode of zinc oxide.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , comprising forming the optical receiver, the first electrode, and the second electrode of zinc oxide nanowires. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein integrating the optical receiver with the first region of the compliant substrate and integrating the actuator with the second region of the compliant substrate comprise:
 integrating the optical receiver with the first region of the compliant substrate and integrating the actuator with the second region of the compliant substrate with the first region and the second region overlapping.   
     
     
         39 . A method of operating an addressable actuator comprising a compliant substrate, the method comprising:
 receiving an optical signal using an optical receiver integrated with a first region of the compliant substrate; and   responsive to receiving the optical signal, actuating an actuator integrated with a second region of the compliant substrate.   
     
     
         40 . A method of operating an addressable actuator array, comprising:
 operating a plurality of addressable actuators, comprising:   operating each addressable actuator of the plurality of addressable actuators according to the method of claim  39 .   
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein:
 each addressable actuator of the plurality of addressable actuators is independently optically addressable.   
     
     
         42 . A method of operating a system comprising:
 operating the addressable actuator according to the method of  claim 39 ; and   sending the optical signal using a light emitting device,   wherein the light emitting device is optically coupled to the optical receiver.   
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the optical receiver comprises a photoconductive channel integrated with the actuator. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the photoconductive channel is compliant. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the compliant substrate comprises an elastomer. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the optical receiver is electrically coupled to the actuator. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the optical receiver is directly electrically coupled to the actuator. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the optical receiver comprises a semiconductor film. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the optical receiver comprises a plurality of zinc oxide nanowires disposed in the first region of the compliant substrate. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein the plurality of zine oxide nanowires comprise a percolating network. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the actuator comprises a capacitor, the capacitor comprising:
 a first electrode;   a second electrode; and   a portion of the compliant substrate disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode.   
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein actuating the actuator comprises actuating the capacitor, comprising:
 receiving a signal from the optical receiver; and   responsive to receiving the signal, compressing a thickness of the portion of the compliant substrate disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode.   
     
     
         53 . The addressable actuator of  claim 52 , wherein actuating the capacitor further comprises:
 responsive to receiving the signal, laterally expanding the portion of the compliant substrate disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode.   
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein:
 the optical receiver is formed of a first material; and   at least one of the first electrode or the second electrode is formed of the first material.   
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 54 , wherein the first material comprises zinc oxide. 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein the optical receiver, the first electrode, and the second electrode are formed of zinc oxide nanowires. 
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the first region and the second region overlap.